Edwin Alemany pleads not guilty to South Boston attacks

A man accused in the murder of a woman in South Boston was arraigned Wednesday for other violent attacks in the neighborhood.

Amy Lord's body was found at the Stony Brook Reservation in Hyde Park. Edwin Alemany has been charged with her murder.Credit: Nicolaus Czarnekci/Metro

The man accused of multiple horrific attacks on women in South Boston is a "decent man" with serious mental health issues, his lawyer said Wednesday.

Edwin Alemany, 28, pleaded not guilty to charges including armed assault to murder and kidnapping for two attacks on separate women last month. He was ordered held on $3 million bail. He is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday in West Roxbury District Court for the murder of Amy Lord.

Alemany's lawyer, Jeffrey Denner, did not argue the prosecution's request for bail.

After the arraignment, Denner said Alemany has a long history of mental health issues and "has serious problems."

"He's a very decent man who acted allegedly very indecently," said Denner, who was flanked by about a dozen of Alemany's relatives who attended the arraignment in South Boston District Court.

Assistant District Attorney John Pappas said that Alemany approached a woman walking to work on Old Colony Avenue at about 4:15 a.m. July 23. He punched her in the face and then dragged her by the feet into a parking lot.

The 22-year-old woman told police that during the attack, Alemany told her he wasn't going to rob her, he was going to kill her, Pappas said.

Later, he told the woman she wasn't the one he was looking for and that he had "a hit out" for a woman pushing a baby stroller, Pappas said.

Alemany is also accused of stabbing another woman in her face, torso and neck area near her South Boston building on July 24. Pappas said that video surveillance and forensic testing on a blood trail and on the victim connected the attack to Alemany.

In between the two attacks, authorities allege that Alemany abducted Lord, a 24-year-old Bentley University graduate, while she was walking from her South Boston apartment July 23. Authorities said she was forced into her car and then taken to ATMs around the city where she withdrew money. Her body was later found in the Hyde Park recreation area.

Alemany was first arrested for the two attacks and then on August 1 was charged in Lord's death. After his arrest for the attacks, he was ordered to Bridgewater State Hospital for a mental health evaluation. He was deemed competent to stand trial.

Pappas said that Alemany has a lengthy criminal history, including a juvenile record. His record includes multiple assault and battery charges as well as larceny and receiving stolen property.

"This is a very sad situation for so many different reasons and on so many different levels," Denner said.